There is no cure for the Ebola virus, nor is there a vaccine to protect against it. Because vaccines must be specific to certain strains, it is not likely that a universal vaccine will be produced for all four vaccines. There are many factors that could lead to an Ebola outbreak. . Here is a list of conditions that could contribute to such a disastrous event. - the presence of animal or insect vectors in the vicinity of a human population; - exposure of the virus to an individual in a remote environment and the individual's return to a more densely populated area; - poor hygiene and sanitation in the human population, resulting in increased possibilities of contact with body fluids (for example, excretions from Ebola patients end up in the sewage system and human contact is common); - decrease in the level of immunity in the population; - insufficient public health infrastructure (e.g. hospital facilities); - lack of public education regarding the virus; - inadequate communications infrastructure (leading to delays in medical response and public notification). Analyzing these conditions has helped many understand when, why, and how Ebola disasters occur. Precautions can therefore be taken by following the following preventive measures. After Ebola has spread through one of the four transmission methods, Ebola begins to show its symptoms in those infected. The time between the invasion of Ebola and the appearance of its symptoms ranges from two to twenty-one days. Once Ebola has infected its victim, diagnostic methods should be adopted immediately. Diagnosis of the Ebola virus can take up to 10 days. The methods used to detect the virus are very slow compared to how quickly Ebola can kill its victims. Blood or tissue samples are sent to a high-containment laboratory designed to work with infectious substances and are tested for specific antigens, antibodies, or genetic material from the virus itself. A skin test has recently been developed that can detect infections much faster. A skin biopsy sample is fixed in a chemical called formalin, which kills the virus, and is then transported safely to a laboratory. It is treated with chemicals and if dead Ebola virus is present, the sample will turn bright red. There is no specific treatment against the Ebola virus. Patients are given intravenous infusions of fluids and electrolytes, but the purpose of these is simply to keep the patient hydrated while he... middle of paper... signs up for a vaccine that prevents this dreaded disease in humans. This was discovered in November 2000, but no further information was made available. In conclusion, although a universal cure for the Ebola virus is not yet known, a possibility for a cure has recently been discovered. Recently a protein known as cyanovirin-N found in blue-green algae has been associated with both HIV and the Ebola virus. Cyanovirin has been found to partially inhibit the ability of both Ebola and HIV to bind to and infect cells, thus extending the host's survival time (Barrientos, 2003). Cyanovirin has been found to bind to the outside of cells inhibiting their ability to cross cell membranes (Barrientos, 2003). Cyanovirin shows promise in its ability to bind to sugar molecules present on the surface of both HIV and Ebola viruses (Barrientos, 2003). Research studies were conducted using animal models, where test animals were infected with Ebola and received cyanovirin injections once a day., 2003) .